Pirates, Phone Calls, and a Photo
by aislara
Summary: How exactly did Vala spend her time at the SGC? How did Daniel handle it? And what exactly is going on? SD hints. This story takes place during the events of Beachhead.
1. Chapter 1

Pirates, Phone Calls, and a Photo.

Rating: G

Pairing: Sam/Daniel implied  
Category: friendship/humor  
Spoilers: Season 8 and 9

Disclaimers: Not mine. I just like to take them out to play.

"This man is brilliant" Vala exclaimed, tossing another handful of popcorn into her mouth. "Excellent strategy." She turned around in her chair to face the man studiously ignoring her behind a mountain of books. " Did you see how he took their best ship right out from under them?" Still no reaction from the man behind the paper barricade. Sighing, she leaned over the back of her chair and playfully tipped a stack of paperwork over. Without missing a beat or raising his head the man effortless put up a hand to steady the papers.

"Yes, Vala, I saw the first three times you watched the film," he sighed heavily, irritation heavy in his voice.

"Where would I find a man such as Captain Sparrow?" She turned back to the television, sprawling haphazardly on the chair, her feet propped up on a box. " I could certainly use a man of his talents and not just for his piratical prowess." Tilting her head to one side she watched for a few moments in speculation. "Of course this Will character has merit as well with the "noble hero" thing. . ."

"I'm certain many women on -this- planet are asking the same question."

"But are the possessed of my irresistible charms, Daniel? Not to mention my seductive. . ." The phone ringing put an abrupt end to Vala's self congratulatory list of perfections. Daniel grabbed the phone, slouching further down in his chair. He scowled for a moment in the general direction of Vala.. "Jackson." he grumbled into the phone. "Oh, hey, Sam."

Vala straightened up in her chair. Instantly, Daniel's entire tone had changed. Where he had been argumentative and grumpy with her all morning, all week if she was honest with herself, his voice was even and had an undercurrent of warmth to it.

"Yeah, I know," he sighed, "I was looking forward to it, too," he laughed, the smallest of smiles spreading across his face. "Well, I guess that is one way of looking at it."

Vala turned slightly in her chair, surreptitiously glancing at him. She was stunned to see the man smiling. In fact she didn't think she had ever seen him with a look other than annoyance or exasperation on his face. He took of his glasses and rubbed a bit at the bridge of his nose.

"I might be willing to take a raincheck," he said playfully, "If you make it worth my while." He grinned. The man actually grinned. Devilishly attractive, she had to say, even with his less than sunny disposition, he was down right gorgeous when he smiled. It must be his eyes, she thought to herself, they mirrored his emotions perfectly. A mischievous spark lit up his eyes, the cerulean blue intensifying in color.

She was speechless. Vala Mal Doran had never met a man as impervious to her charms, and here she had been rebuffed constantly my Daniel Jackson. Now this phone call from this 'Sam' made him act in all the ways she had only hoped to. Frantically she glanced around the room for some sign. After all it wasn't her fault that he was spurning her. She could understand playing hard to get, thrill of the chase. What was it about this Sam that made him respond in this manner? She stood up, and walked around the room fiddling with things, absently working off her energy. And then she stopped.

Arrayed on a shelf were a variety of small images in frames. One was of a much younger Daniel riding some dubious looking beast with a shaggy hairstyle. Next to that was one of a group of Taur'i wearing those hideously unfashionable drab olive ensembles that were so popular here. There were several photos of a blonde girl holding some four-legged creature, riding an unstable two wheeled contraption, and one of her surrounded by a group of people with a flaming confection. It was obvious that the photos showed the passage of time as the girl grew older in each. Yet it was the last one that held her attention. It was in the center of the small collection. The girl, now an adult was wearing a wine colored gown, in the Renaissance style, a huge bouquet of roses in her arm. Standing to her left was Daniel, dressed in a dark grey suit and smiling proudly. On the other side was a blonde woman wearing a floral print dress and smiling just as proudly. Her arm was wrapped around the girl's shoulders. In her left hand she was holding a small booklet that read 'Romeo and Juliet', a play by William Shakespeare. On her hand sparkled a diamond ring. Even with her limited exposure to Taur'i culture she knew the meaning of those rings. They were used to bind the Taur'i together.

"I love you, too, sweetheart. You can count on it." Vala leaned against the bookshelf, the framed image in her hand, and she studied Daniel. He leaned back in his chair, more relaxed then she had ever seen him. His eyes were closed and a small smile played about his lips. A sigh escaped his lips and he opened his eyes, apparently lost in his own thoughts. Across his desk his papers lay forgotten. Slowly she sauntered across the room, sliding one hip onto his desk.

"You've been holding out on me, Daniel," she purred, trailing a finger down his chest. Instantly his eyes snapped open, and he pushed her hand away. His eyes narrowed as he tried to determine what new game she was playing. With a flourish she produced the picture, "You're a married man Daniel Jackson," she pouted saucily at him, "and here you've been toying with my affections, when you have a wife and daughter tucked away at home."


	2. Chapter 2

The Other Side of the Conversation

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"Cass," Sam yelled as she juggled an armful of groceries, the front door, her purse, and a UPS box, "Could you give me a hand here?" Wiggling just enough so she could get through the door without dislodging any of the parcels, she peered around the door for any sign of her niece.

"Cassie!" she shouted louder, as one of the bags slid slowly down her side. As she practiced her juggling abilities Cassie lopped down the hallway with the phone against her ear. Seeing her aunt's predicament she hurriedly said goodbye dropping the phone on a side table.

"Sorry, Aunt Sam," she said apologetically as she relieved her of some of the packages. "You should have called me on your cel," Cassie called over her shoulder as she brought the groceries into the kitchen, "I would have come down to help you." Sam shook her head and laughed as she dropped the mail and her purse onto the end table.

"I did, but I only got the voice mail."

Cassie poked her head out of the kitchen with a sheepish smile, "Sorry, I was talking to Renee, and you know how she goes on." Sam nodded her head as she went to put her keys back into her purse.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who got the voice mail," she observed as she noted the red light blinking on the phone indicating a new message. Absently she pressed in the numbers to retrieve it..

"Hey, it's Daniel," there was a pause in the message, punctuated by a long sigh. "I, um, am still tied up a bit a work, if you get my meaning. . ." There was another long pause followed by a faint, "No, you cannot," punctuated by a startled yelp and the sound of the phone hitting the floor. "Here's the remote." another sigh followed by some exasperated muttering that even in a foreign language sounded dire to her ears."Anyway, I won't be able to make it this weekend. Give me a call when you get in."

Cassie wandered back into the entry way, a munching from a bag of chips. "Who was it?"

"Uncle Daniel," Sam answered absently as she dialed the phone.

Noticing the frown on her aunt's face and the hint of concern in her voice she asked, "Everything okay?"

"I'm not sure. His message was kind of disjointed." Sam wandered into the living room and sat on the couch. Judging by her body language she was worried. Not wanting to crowd her, Cassie leaned in the doorway, a habit she had picked up from Uncle Jack. She was content to observe, and maybe just eavesdrop the teeniest bit.

Although she couldn't quite make out the words, she guessed that whatever had initially concerned her aunt wasn't that serious. Even though it was fairly commonplace for Daniel to land himself in the infirmary, it was still a cause for concern. Aunt Sam never took those phone calls well. However, if the teasing smile playing across her face was any indication, things were not as bad as they could be. Cassie returned to the kitchen, knowing that she would get the details later, when a shriek of mock outrage sounded from the living room. Peeking through the pass-thru Cassie smiled at the sight before her.

Sam was sprawled lengthwise on the couch, her bare feet dangling over the armrest in a pose Cassie so frequently adopted when talking to one of her friends. A blush was slowly spreading across her cheeks, and getting deeper by the second. Although she could only catch a few words, her tone was light and playful. Her blue eyes sparkled as she laughed, her hand unconsciously playing with a gold chain about her neck.. She appeared utterly happy. Cassie couldn't recall the last time she had seen Sam that relaxed. Even with Pete, there had always been a certain tension about her, her manner slightly guarded.

It had been a rough two years for the two of them, first Janet's death, then getting comfortable living in the same house, then there was Pete, Daniel's latest 'death' (they never did get easier, just more ambiguous), and of course Jacob's passing. She realized now that her actions hadn't made things any easier for Sam either, and she regretted that. Until recently she had been too caught up in her own problems to take stock of how it was affecting those around her. Her aunt had always been there for her when it mattered, no matter what, no matter how difficult, or the cost to herself. Sam rarely allowed herself the opportunity to relax, and she really hadn't been given much of an opportunity lately. Cassie made a promise to herself to repay her, even though Sam would never ask it of her.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there watching her, but she was enjoying the scene before her. It was obvious, to her at least, how much Sam missed her life back in Colorado Springs, though she would never admit that to Cassie. To be honest with herself she missed it, too, even if she had been the one to create the situation that forced them to Nevada. Pondering her thoughts she began putting the groceries away, before the cold stuff went bad. The sounds of the cabinets opening and closing brought Sam back to the moment and she swung herself back into a sitting position, the conversation winding down. Catching a glimpse of Cassie through the opening she smiled at her and headed towards her with the phone. She hesitated for a moment and sighed softly, a contented sound, but somewhat longing.

"We talked about this, Daniel." A pause and a soft smile, her hands toying absently with the chain around her neck again. "No, no regrets. And as soon as you resolve that, um, 'situation' you can cash in that rain check. Talk to you soon." Sam handed the phone back to Cassie, her expression undeniably mellow as she headed for the fridge.

Later that night after much discussion with her friend Renee and a few additional phone calls, Cassie knocked softly on Sam's door. She was curled up in her bed reading, but she put down the book and patted the bed next to her when Cassie entered..

"I was thinking, if it was okay with you, I'd like to go back to school next semester. I already talked to the Dean at UC, and she said that I could return to classes after taking this semester off."


	3. Chapter 3

The Answer– Well, sort of.

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"You've been holding out on me, Daniel," she purred, trailing a finger down his chest. Instantly his eyes snapped open, and he pushed her hand away. His eyes narrowed as he tried to determine what new game she was playing. With a flourish she produced the picture, "You're a married man Daniel Jackson," she pouted saucily at him, "and here you've been toying with my affections, when you have a wife and daughter tucked away at home."

A look of pure confusion spread across Daniel's face, the one he usually reserved for when he encountered a truly alien language. Then he noticed the picture she was brandishing triumphantly in her hand. Slowly he took it away from her, as if concerned he would damage it if he snatched too hard.

"I can see how you would come to that conclusion, Vala," he said acidly. He ran a finger around the edges of the frame, like a caress. Vala opened her mouth to offer a witty retort and stopped speechless.

A soft smile spread across his face as he looked at the two women that were so dear to him, obliterating the perpetual scowl she seemed to inspire in him. What was it about this man, she wondered. Yes, he was easy on the eyes, but he was also irritable, and apparently immune to her charms. Yet, there as another side to him, one she had caught glimpses of in her sojourn here at the SGC. Like now, when he was lost in thought, oblivious to her observation of him. His eyes were bright with emotion, perhaps love even. He never looked at her that way, his eyes were only ever bright with anger for her. Maybe that's why she enjoyed provoking his temper so much. Anger, after all, was still passion, even if it was the wrong kind. She could change that, couldn't she? Deep in side her a small voice told her, no. Of course she rarely listened to that voice since it so infrequently agreed with her.

"I didn't jump to any conclusions, Daniel," she answered, any witty remark she had ready emptied from her brain. Daniel chuckled a bit and rose from his chair, deftly avoiding even the most casual contact with Vala. Gently he placed the frame back in its proper place before turning to face her. "Cassie is my niece," he stated slowly, as if explaining to a small child.

"Oh, thank goodness, darling!" Vala breathed in relief. She jumped up from the desk and headed for him. "Then -that- woman is your sister." Suddenly it all made sense. Familial friendship. It spoke well off a man that he could have such depth of feeling for his family. Despite her comments to the contrary she knew he would be a thoughtful lover. Now how could she turn this situation to her advantage.

"She's not my sister." Vala paused.

"She's not?"

"No," Daniel turned back to the bookshelves searching for a volume indicating he was done discussing the matter.

"Then she -is- your wife," Vala pressed as she sauntered across the room eyeing him with a gleam of speculation, "and I do so hate being the other woman."

"I didn't say that," he answered cryptically, not even glancing up from the book he was leafing through.

"Why won't you give me a straight answer?" she demanded as she attempted to snatch the book from his hand. Instinctively he moved the book up and away from her grasp, with his free hand he snatched her wrist.

"Why is it important?" Daniel challenged.

A knock sounded on the door, immediately followed by the arrival of Mitchell and Teal'c. The new arrivals gazed curiously at the sight of Daniel holding Vala's wrist, book raised in the opposite hand. "Lover's quarrel?" he inquired playfully. Daniel rolled his eyes and released Vala's wrist.

"Nothing quite so interesting, boys," Vala answered observed.

"What can I do for you, Mitchell?" Daniel asked, returning to his desk.

"Actually, Teal'c and I were trying to get together a foursome," he bounced the basketball he had been holding a couple of times.

"I've been having a hard enough time getting a twosome together." Vala exclaimed as she collapsed dramatically in an armchair. Daniel's only response was a long suffering look at Mitchell and Teal'c. There was a long silence for a moment.

"I believe that you may find a game of basketball relaxing, Daniel Jackson."

"Well, there's nothing pressing to do here." Daniel headed for the door and fell into step next to Teal'c as they headed down the hallway. Mitchell, his galantry coming to the fore, offered Vala a hand out of the chair. She smiled at him brilliantly, taking his arm as they started down the corridor. "So explain to me this Basketball."

The basketball game turned into a meeting with Landry, which turned into the arrival of Nerus, and now the mission to Kellana. Which is what brought her to the door of the locker room for the second time in 24 hours. "We'll meet you here in five," Mitchell called over his shoulder as the men filed into their respective locker room. Vala walked over to the locker she had been assigned. Some thoughtful person had labeled it with Mal Doran, V. She was reaching for the combination lock when she noticed that she was not alone. Seated half way down on the long bench between the rows of lockers was a blonde woman, her face was obscured by her hair which was hanging loose. It had fallen forward to hide her face as she bent over to remove her shoes. "Hello," she offered in greeting as she turned to concentrate on the device.

"Hello," the unknown woman answered. "You must be new around here."

"I'm the new girl in town," Vala commented, pulling her black BDU's from the locker.

"I just flew in myself," there was a soft thump as the unknown woman put her other boot on the floor. The two went about their business, quickly changing into matching black BDU's.

"Ah, I see you got the phone call this morning," the blonde laughed as she noted the identical color BDU's. Vala eyed her curiously, "Phone call?"

"Sorry. We had a new team mate a few years back. The first thing he asked upon joining the team was how we knew what color BDU's to wear. I told him we called each other in the morning. It took him several days before he realized it was in the mission briefs. Kind of became a running joke."

"You're on an SG team then?" Vala sat down on the bench, interested. Most of the women she had met on the base had been either part of the med team or the science departments. "I was starting to think it was a boy's club. Not that I'm not a fan of testosterone, mind you"

"Up until a couple months ago. I've been down at R&D since then." The blonde opened her locker and hurriedly placed her dress blues within. "You're right though, it is mostly men on the field teams however, I've never let that stop me." She paused for a moment and tried to smooth her hair in the mirror. It was apparently a losing battle.

"I never let anything stop me." The two shared a smile for a moment assessing each other.

"It would be more manageable if you got that cut, dear." Vala observed as she drew a beige scarf out of her locker.

The blonde sighed and looked a bit sheepish, "I've been trying to grow it out, actually, and it's at that in between state where it does nothing."

"Men have no idea what we go through to make ourselves beautiful, do they." Vala favored her with a conspiratorial smile as she shut the locker door. "Of course, I happen to have a natural gift for it."

"Vala, you ready?" Daniel called through the door.

"In a moment, darling." She called as she headed to the door, tossing her scarf around her neck, "The other half calls."


	4. Chapter 4

Sam stared after the brunette sauntering out the door. 'That was Vala?' she thought to herself. She'd read the mission reports, of course, and then there had been Daniel's lengthy discussion of her-- extremely long discussion of her-- downright long winded complaint of her. Odd that her first encounter with her should be so mundane as in a locker room gearing up for a mission. For someone that was so much larger than life it seemed almost a disservice to meet in such an ordinary way. Truth be told, Sam hadn't expected to encounter Vala, except maybe on the other side of the briefing room table. Daniel had said that he was unable to travel down to Area 51 due to being 'tied to his work', but he also said it was wearing off. When she had been asked to join SG-1 on this assignment she had envisioned walking back into the gateroom, Teal'c and Daniel joining her just like old times flanking her as they went up the ramp. Of course Mitchell would be there, and in the mental image of her minds eye, she cut and paste him into the group, modifying their marching order to incorporate the fourth member. He would take point, this being his team now and not hers. Shutting the door to her locker she headed up to the Control Room where she knew Landry and the team would be waiting for her.

It had been several months since she had last set foot in the SGC. There were a few new faces in the hallways as she followed the familiar route, who looked at her curiously, however the vast majority were faces she knew. They smiled at her as she passed making it feel to some degree as if she had never left. She sighed. It had been tough for her to go, but it had been the right thing to do. Cassie had needed her. It may have taken a call from the police and a trip to the hospital to wake her up to that fact but she was clued in now. After Janet's death everyone had assumed that Cassie would be fine. She gave all the appearance of bouncing right back. After all it wasn't the first time in her young life that her whole world had fallen apart. Like last time, she still had Sam after all. Cassie had quietly headed back to Chicago where she attended college after the services. If she had seemed quieter than usual, well that was only to be expected.

Shortly after Sam and Pete formalized their engagement, Cassie decided to move back to Colorado and go to school locally. Pete hadn't been thrilled about the addition of a teen-aged step-daughter/niece. It was fine when she was in another state or home for visits, but every day all day was too much for him to handle. Her former fiancee had already had issues being second fiddle to her career and he wasn't about to take third place behind Cassie, too. The two fought constantly when she wasn't home, which was fairly frequent due to the demands of her profession. When Sam and Pete managed to find time alone together he was filled with plans for 'their future' which, upon reflection, bore little resemblance to any future she wanted for herself. She had been caught up in the idea of having someone to come home to, but not to fussy about who that someone was.

'Next time I'm going to have a mid-life crisis, I'm going to buy a car,' she thought to herself as she strode into the control room. She paused in the doorway, taking a deep breath as she returned, however temporarily, to her former life. Clustered by Sgt. Harriman were her old team mates plus two. Vala was playing with the edges of her scarf, expanding upon the Gould's less than desirable traits, particularly their lack of honesty. Standing on either side were Teal'c and Daniel. The Jaffa's hair had grown since she'd seen him last, and he was looking stoic and mildly annoyed at Vala's commentary. Daniel looked up as if sensing her presence, though it was impossible to detect the sounds of arrival of any one person in the busy control room. He smiled at her, obviously pleased to see her again, his smile lighting up his whole face. For one brief moment there was no one else in the room, as juvenile as that sounded. 'One could thing came out of the Pete fiasco,' she thought as she grinned at him in return.

"Colonel Carter," Sam jumped a bit at the sound of General Landry's voice . Reddening slightly she hurried over to join the general, all business again. Daniel had been noticeably silent during their brief mission synopsis and it wasn't until they were assembled in the gateroom.

"Well, temporary or not, it's good to have you back," Daniel said, quietly smiling at her. 'I've missed you,' is what his eyes told her if his words did not. She returned his smile, not quite sure to say. In the mental scenario of seeing Daniel again, it had not involved a mission, or half of the SGC looking on.

"How good is this?" Mitchell commented to Teal'c, "Got the band back together?" Sam glanced around and saw Vala, who appeared to be sulking against the back wall.

"Uh, so what's with the extra back up singer?" she asked quietly. That question had been eating her since she figured out her identity in the locker room.

"Ah, she's good fun," Mitchell grinned, still jazzed that all SG-1 was standing here together with him. "Plus, we figured if Jackson were to. . ."

"Die." Teal'c interjected blandly when Mitchell seemed to search for the right word.

"Yeah, that's the word. It would jeopardize the mission."

Sam looked over at Daniel in concern, "When we talked a couple of days ago, you said you thought the effects were wearing off."

"Well it was," he drawled. "I just didn't want to test it from the other side of the galaxy."

Vala coughed loudly behind them, "Wow, just dying to get rid of me now, aren't you?"

"No, not dying to," Daniel commented with a grimace. She pulled herself off the wall and stalked towards the gate ramp.

"Oh, I know I'm not welcome here. Despite all my efforts to try and fit into your little stargating club, you can all rest assured, that as soon as I can safely part Daniel's company without killing the both of us, I will," she spun on her heel to point at Landry, "And you, You will wish you'd listened to me when I said, letting the Goa'uld come here was a mistake!" With a flip of her scarf she took the last few steps through the event horizon.

"Get to it, and good luck," Landry ordered them.

"Right, let's do this," Mitchell said as he started up the ramp. The rest of SG-1 followed behind him.

"Is she always this much fun?" Sam asked quietly.

"She's behaving at the moment."


	5. Chapter 5

After a quick briefing with the senior staff of the Prometheus and a systems check of the specialized equipment they had brought with them for the mission to Kallana, the team was shown to quarters aboard ship. Mitchell and Teal'c filed into the room that the young lieutenant assigned to them had indicated was for the use of the male members of the SGC. Daniel paused in the hallway, smiling slightly at Sam before turning to follow. Vala popped into the room next door, eagerly staking her claim on 'top bunk'. Sam hesitated at the threshold of the room, not quite sure what kind of conversation she could expect from the vivacious brunette who was excitedly swinging her legs on the bed. Plastering her best diplomatic smile on her face she started to take a step into the room.

"Sam?" Daniel inquired softly sticking his head back out into the hallway. Sam turned, her shoulder and leg keeping the door to her own room open. Trying not to draw attention to himself, Daniel glanced back into his own room. Teal'c and Mitchell were engrossed discussing the minutiae of some first person shooter Play Station game. Confident the two would not notice his absence for a few moments he quietly shut the door to his room. Smiling softly he walked towards Sam, stopping only inches from her before leaning with forced nonchalance against the bulkhead wall. Slowly he reached out to her, briefly tugging on a blond tendril that was falling around her face, before wrapping it around his finger.

"Your hair got longer," he said quietly, breaking the silence with a statement of the obvious.

"I'd heard you'd grown a beard," she said running a finger along his clean shaven cheek, the unspoken 'what happened' hanging on the end of her sentence.

"You told me you wouldn't kiss a man with a beard," Sam's cheek's blushed pink at the implication, her hand falling from his cheek to his shoulder.

"Daniel, I. . ." she closed her eyes and turned her head leaning into his hand. "We both agreed to this."

Sighing Daniel withdrew his hand and shoved both into his pockets as if to physically restrain himself from touching Sam. Her eyes fluttered open at the withdrawal of contact. Staring down at his feet he rocked back and forth on his heels for a moment before saying. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that after the last few months of reflection, I am willing to rethink my position on the matter." Boyishly he grinned up at her his deep blue eyes sparkling mischievously. Unable to suppress a smile, Sam grinned at him in return and leaned towards him, her lips stopping just shy of his.

"And what is your new position on the matter," she said slowly her breath warm and inviting across his face.

"That I'm finding it increasingly difficult to be a gentleman about the matter and to remember that you are a highly trained warrior and likely to wipe the floor with me if I attempted half the things running through my mind right now."

"Oh, and what things might those be," Sam asked coyly, enjoying this flirtatious side to Daniel.

"Nothing suitable for the corridors of the Prometheus, I assure you," he responded squirming a bit uncomfortably. Cautiously, Sam glanced around the hallway and determined that it was indeed deserted. Impishly she closed the distance between the two of them and brushed her lips against his. Inhaling deeply, he wrapped his arms around her. Sam squealed in surprise as she was pulled flush against him, the door to her room slamming shut as her foot was pulled out of its way. The loud bang of the door startled them both, causing them to jump a bit. The two of them laughed a little nervously, as they glanced around the corridor.

"So what do we do about this?" Sam asked, studying Daniel's face.

"I have no idea. . ." Daniel said slowly with a smile. "But I think that doing nothing is no longer the answer. We can safely say that this isn't a temporary state."

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder?"

"Something like that." The sound of a door opening caused them to pop quickly apart, Daniel slouching against the wall, arms crossed against his chest.

"Hey, Jackson, you joining us? You can play winner. Apparently they hooked up a PS 2 in here in Teal'c's honor."

"Sure," Daniel said, peeling himself away from the wall. He glanced sideways at Sam his expression saying how much he was looking forward to a night playing SOCOM 3. "Night, Sam."

"Night, Daniel." Sam contemplated her door with equal reluctance. She had heard all about Vala, and wasn't sure if she was going to be walking into a slumber party or an ambush. Taking a deep breath she opened the door. At least she tried to. For some reason it was locked.

"Vala?" she called, knocking on the door. "Could you let me in?" A moment later the door popped open.

"Oh, hello, darling. I thought you were bunking in with the boys." Vala stepped aside to allow Sam to enter into the room. Sam frowned slightly.

"Um, no," Sam wasn't quite sure how to take Vala's comment. Had she heard one of the more lascivious rumors on base about SG-1 or did she just assume that teams generally bunked together?

"Oh, good. I don't feel as rejected then," Vala commented as she sailed into the bathroom. "Daniel would never let me bunk in with him, even though we had to stay in close proximity. I told him sharing a bed would be far more practical and entertaining for us both, but he insisted on taking up residence in the VIP level so we could have adjacent rooms." Vala emerged from the bathroom in a pair of pink pj pants and t-shirt with the word 'Naughty' in big letters across the top. "Your turn for the bathroom."

Shaking her head in confusion, Sam headed for the bathroom and washed up. There was no question that Vala was full of surprises. She donned her 'mission' pj's of a pair of sweats and an academy t-shirt. When she entered back into the room, Vala was sitting on the bottom bunk brushing out her hair. Noticing Sam's return, she flashed her a brilliant smile. "I've never been to a slumber party before. Shall we do each other's hair first, or discuss intimate details about our sexual experiences?"


	6. Chapter 6

Sam blinked slowly, processing what Vala just said. Feeling as if she was trapped in a bad sitcom, she picked up her hairbrush and walked over to the bunks. "Hair, I guess," she said slowly. Vala grinned and patted the bed in front of her.

"Let's see what we can do with this." Vala took Sam's hairbrush out of her hand as the blonde slowly lowered herself into the bed. Bouncing like a teenage girl, Vala slowly began to brush out Sam's hair. The two sat in silence for a few moments. There was something soothing about having your hair brushed for you. Sam found herself relaxing slightly, despite the fact that she was getting her hair styled by an alien. Of course it had been near impossible to style her hair with any earthly techniques. Maybe some otherworldly techniques would reign it in. The silence was companionable, the only sounds the normal running sounds of the ship. The only thing that felt off was a strange prickling sensation on the outside edges of her consciousness. It was familiar, but something she hadn't felt recently. Tilting her head to one side she focused on the sensation.

"Were you once a host?" She asked Vala suddenly.

"Has Daniel been talking about me behind my back?" The brunette answered playfully.

"No, no. I just had this feeling."

"Is this the part where we share secrets?" Vala began separating Sam's hair into segments to braid.

"I guess." There was an uncertain note in Sam's voice.

"I was host to the Goua'ld Qetesh. And you?"

"Me?"

"Yes, you. I have that 'feeling' about you as well. You know the one, I assume. Slightly prickly about the edges."

"Her name was Jolinar. She was a Tok'ra."

"A Tok'ra? Why did she give you up as a host?" Sam sighed, before answering.

"Jolinar never mean to take me as a host. She died saving my life."

"Self-sacrificing. Odd. Most of the Tok'ra I've met have been rather arrogant." Sam chuckled a bit despite herself, reminded of the times SG-1 had been privileged to play Tau'ri guinea pigs, or cannon fodder.

"They always seem to call when they need something from us." Like the armbands or when Daniel was needed to infiltrate the Gou'ld Summit, or. . .

"They're not all bad. The Tok'ra were the ones that finally took Qetesh out of me. Of course it was after my own people had turned against me and tortured me. They could have just killed me."

"It's not their way. They helped return Osiris' host to us."

"Did they leave her penniless and abandoned on a backwater planet?"

"Is that what happened to you?" Vala gave Sam's hair a final pat, having twisted it into a credible French braid. "Your turn to do mine now." Sam rolled her eyes and picked up Vala's brush settling herself behind her. Gingerly she picked up a lock of Vala's air and began to brush. Last time she had been at a slumber party she was chaperoning it.

"Well, almost. They were going to leave me on this agrarian planet. I guess I was supposed to marry a pig farmer or something. One of them, an older man, realized I was less than pleased with the arrangement. He made sure that I had some resources and access to the Stargate. The other Tok'ra grumbled about it, saying that Selmak had been a troublemaker since he took his new host." Sam, tensed at the mention of her father's symbiote's name, the brush stopping mid-stroke.

"How long ago was this?"

"About four years ago, give or take. Why? Do you know him?"

"He was my father." Sam said slowly in surprise. "My father was his host, that is," she corrected.

"Small galaxy. Will he be dropping by anytime soon?"

"No, he died several months ago."

"Oh, my condolences." There was a long silence. "Enough of this gloomy stuff. Tell me about the man in your life. Make me jealous."

"What makes you think there is a man in my life?" Sam laughed. It was mazing how Vala could switch topics.

"Daniel has a picture of you in his office with his niece. You have one of those Tau'ri marriage rings on." Sam frowned for a moment trying to recall what he was talking about.

"Oh, Cassie's play. That was taken a year or so ago. I was engaged to a police officer at the time. We split up."

"Is that when you and Daniel got together?" The brush clattered to the floor.

"How did you. . . I mean, what are you talking about." Sam scrambled to pick the brush back up. Vala stared at her, eyes wide and impish.

"It's the only logical explanation. Why else would he rebuff my advances?"

"Daniel's not into casual relationships, Vala."

"And you know this how?"

"I just do."

They had all been shocked when Daniel appeared naked, this time not in the woods, but in the General's office. Well, perhaps Brat'ac was more amused than shocked, and Jack. . . well, he was surprised that Daniel was naked, not so much that he was back. Sam had most definitely been shocked. Too many things had gone wrong personally for her in the past few weeks. First, there was Daniel's disappearance's. Then there was the phone call from the police and a very difficult conversation with Cassie, which in turn lead her to see just how wrong marriage to Pete would be. Next, there was her father's death. After that she had given up hope that Daniel would turn up again. Once the initial surprise at the seemingly immortal archaeologist's return had worn off , a small party had turned out in the infirmary as the now routine tests were performed to officially confirm that Daniel Jackson had once again managed to come back from the dead. Sam found herself on the outskirts of the gathering, as Daniel was bombarded by questions and well-wishes from onlookers. Finally, Sam had slipped out the door. She was flying to Washington the following morning for her father's funeral, and had paperwork to finish up before she left. As she was completing the last of her reports a soft scratch came at the door.

Daniel was standing in the doorway, having changed out of his flag toga into standard BDU's. "Hey, Sam," he said quietly. "I head about your father and Selmak. They will be missed."

Sam rolled her chair back from her desk. "You know, your the first person to say that."

Daniel raised one eyebrow and walked over to Sam, "I can't be the first person to offer my condolences. Jack told me he passed almost a week ago."

"No, you're the first to mention both Selmak and my father. The Tok'ra were only concerned about Selmak, and around here everyone just kept telling me how sorry they were about my dad. Selmak gave me the dad I never would have known these last few years. Honestly, I mourn them both."

Daniel lowered himself on the edge of Sam's desk, "As do I." There was a long silence, where the two friends simply enjoyed being in one another's presence again. "How are you holding up?"

"Fine, actually." She said forcing a smile. Daniel frowned at her seeing the sadness in her eyes behind the smile. "Well, maybe a little nervous, actually. But enough about me," she said changing the subject rapidly, "what about you?" She poked him playfully in the chest. "All back in one piece?" Daniel chuckled quietly and trapped her hand in his, "Everything present and accounted for. Even my bad eyesight. You'd think they would fix that." Daniel massaged the palm of her hand with his thumb, the human contact helping to remind him he was truly back.

"At least your allergies appear to have been fixed at some point."

"Actually that was Janet and years of allergy shots. So tell me why you are nervous."

"Oh," Sam said glancing away. "I'm flying out to Washington tomorrow for Dad's funeral. He's being interred next to my mother at Arlington." She sighed, "I'm going to have to face Mark, knowing the truth, and how he died, and not be able to tell him." Daniel squeezed her hand reassuringly. There was nothing really he could say. One of the many downsides to their profession was the fact that you had to lie convincingly to those you loved.

"At least Pete knows the truth," Daniel said finally. Sam looked away sharply at his words, her eyes blinking back tears. "He can support you through this."

"We, uh. . ." Sam said, trying not to cry, "I called it off." The last words trembled as they left her lips.

"Oh, Sam," Daniel sighed sympathetically as the tears began to fall. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know." Sam half choked, laughing through her tears.

"Don't apologize, Daniel. You were dead. Oh my god, Daniel. You were dead." The tears came harder. Daniel slid from the desk to kneel next to her chair. Acting on the gut instinct most men have when confronted with a crying female, he wrapped his arms around her. He let her cry for a few minutes, rubbing her back gently. Slowly the sobbing and sniffles subsided.

"I made your shirt all wet," she finally said quietly.

"That's okay. It's Jack's" Sam chuckled a little at his joke.

"Thank you," Sam said leaning back a little in his embrace so that she could see his face. "I needed that."

"No need to thank me, Sam," he said as he wiped away her tears with the hem of his shirt. "It's what I'm here for."

"I'm glad you're back," she wrapped her arms tightly around her friend.

"Me too." Daniel dropped a kiss on her hair and tucked her head under his chin. "Now about tomorrow. I'd like to come with you."

"I'll be fine, Daniel."

"I'd like to pay my respects. I sort of . . missed. . the base service." Sam slapped playfully at his arm without letting go of him.

"You had a valid excuse, I believe."

"Regardless, Sam, let me come," Sam noticed the earnest expression in his face and saw how important it was to him. "You don't have to do this alone."

"I'm escorting the casket to Washington. The General has a plane leaving out of Peterson at 0700."

"Would you mind giving me a ride? I can't remember where I parked my car." Sam burst into laughter despite herself. "Jack has a group of recruits out there searching for it. They think its some type of training exercise." Daniel slowly rose from the floor and stretched out the kinks.

"Hopefully they don't think it's a search and destroy."

"With Jack, who knows. Come on," he said offering his hand to help her out of the chair. "Take me somewhere for dinner. My treat."

"Hungry?"

"I haven't eaten for weeks," he said with a grin.

During the long plane ride from Peterson to Andrews Daniel sat with her, sharing stories about Jacob and his symbiote, as well as listening to Sam's stories about her childhood. In this way they passed the time, both attempting to forget what was waiting for them when they landed. When the military escort met them at the airfield Daniel held her hand as the honor guard reverently lowered the flag draped casket into the waiting hearse. They had ridden in companionable silence to the National Cathedral. It was there that Sam had come face to face with her brother and his family and shared half truths about the circumstances of their father's death. Mark was full of questions. Even though he had been raised in a military household and understood the meaning of top secret, he had to at least try to understand what had happened. The fact that they were continually interrupted by a variety of high ranking dignitaries, among them the ambassadors of the United Kingdom, France, China, and Canada, the General of the Air Force, the joint chiefs, and an assortment of military and Pentagon brass, only added to his bewilderment. But when the Secret Service contingent arrived in advance of the President and First Lady, Mark finally turned to Sam with a sense of awe and asked, "What on Earth was Dad doing?"

The service was emotional, General Hammond speaking in broad but glowing terms of Jacob's service to his country, and his renewal of his ties to his family after his brush with death. The mourners had then followed the casket to Arlington where Jacob was buried with full military honors. It was at the interment that the president announced that General Carter would be a posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor for his recent activities. President Hayes expressed that Jacob would be heralded as a pioneer in years to come when the true extent of his contribution and service to his country could be known. Sam had remained dry eyed, ever the brave soldier, through out the service and most of the interment. She had finally allowed the tears to fall when Major Davis, who had specifically requested the duty, presented her with her father's flag. The standard words of tribute that she had unfortunately heard too many times since joining the Stargate program finally bringing the loss home to her. As the first tears fell, Daniel had wrapped his arm around her drawing her up against his side. The pair stayed like that until the last condolences were made, and the gathering was dispersed.

Dinner was a quiet affair that evening. General Hammond and a few of General Carter's military friends had joined Sam, Daniel, and Mark at the hotel restaurant. If more wine was consumed than food, it simply made everyone feel far more mellow about the days events. Daniel, who had learned the hard way a long time ago that he did not have a head for alcohol, was feeling far less fuzzy then the rest of the group when they broke up for the evening. Sam was swaying unsteadily on her feet towards the elevator, and Mark's wife was trying to convince her husband that now was really not a good time to go sightseeing since it was well after 11 PM. Judging that Mark's wife had things in hand and that General Hammond's aide would see the military men safely home, Daniel took Sam gently by the arm and led her to her room. When she arrived at the door to her room, she dumped the contents of her purse all over the floor, which struck her as exceedingly hilarious.

"I think the key is there somewhere," she giggled looking at the mess. Weaving unsteadily she made to bend down.

"Whoa, there, Colonel-Doctor," Daniel said as he pushed her gently back against the wall. "Allow me." Daniel knelt down on the floor and separated out the key to her hotel room before scooping the mess back into her purse. He slid the key card into the lock and opened the door for her gesturing grandly for her to enter.

Once she was in the door, Sam declared her feet hurt her and promptly attempted to take of her shoes. Already unsteady on her feet, removing one foot from the floor was probably not the best of ideas and she managed to pitch herself backwards onto the bed. "I think I'm drunk," she announced to the room at large. Daniel smiled ruefully at her and tossed his suit jacket on a nearby chair.

"I think you're right," he answered with a grin, as he helped to pull her up into a sitting position. Once Sam was balanced in an upright position, Daniel knelt down to undo the buckles on her heels.

"You're always looking after me, Daniel," she commented philosophically.

"My pleasure," he mumbled as he fought with the straps to her shoes. Women's clothing was far more complicated than it looked. Finishing up he pulled off her shoes and stood. Sam was staring off into space her head tilted to one side. She looked as if she was about to fall asleep.

"Sam, you're probably going to want to get out of those clothes."

"Oh, you bought me dinner, so now you expect to see me naked?" She asked indignantly. Her fingers started fighting with the buttons of her jacket.

"Actually, General Hammond bought us dinner, and I was thinking you might want to hang up your dress blues instead of sleeping in them."

"Good point," she said heading to the closet, continuing to undo her buttons. Daniel found himself watching her progress. She was through the buttons on her jacket and was starting on her blouse. He was just attempting to make sure that she didn't need any help, he told himself.

"Dr. Jackson, are you enjoying the view?" Sam asked playfully, her shirt was unbuttoned to her navel, and more than just a hint of cleavage was on display. Daniel, caught staring, blushed and turned to look out the window.

"Yes. Yes, I am," he turned back to face her. "You're a beautiful woman, Sam." An odd light had crept into his eyes, intensifying the color to a deep blue.

"I never thought you noticed," she said playfully.

"I've always noticed," he said with dead seriousness. Forcing himself to look away he strode into the bathroom and pulled her bathrobe off the hook. "Even when I shouldn't have." He held out the bathrobe to her. "Good night, Sam," he said as he turned to pick up his discarded suit jacket.

"Daniel, wait," he paused in the doorway. Sam crossed over to him dropping the robe on the way. She ran her hands up his chest before tugging gently at his tie, "I don't want to be alone tonight." Gently she placed a hand on either side of his face and pulled him slowly down for a kiss. Her meaning was unmistakable, and for a long moment he was lost in the kiss. It started out hesitant and uncertain, deepening quickly to something far more passionate. Instinctively his arms snaked around her, pulling her close. Her fingers found their way into Daniel's hair. Moments later Daniel found himself off balanced and tumbling in a heap of limbs onto the bed. The reality of what they were doing hit him the instant his head hit the comforter.

"Sam," he said tearing his lips away from hers, "Sam we need to think about this."

"I'm tired of thinking about things," she murmured trying to recapture his lips.

"Sam," Daniel said again, this time a little more sharply. "This is not the time for this." The two grappled for a few moments, Daniel having the advantage since Sam was still feeling the effects of too much wine.

"I had no idea you liked it rough," Sam teased as she squirmed beneath him. Daniel had finally succeeded on pinning her hands to the bed.

"Sam," he said, "look at me." She blinked slowly and then glanced up at him coyly her paler blue eyes meeting his darker ones. "I love you, Sam. But we're not going to do this. Not tonight, not like this. Because when this night is over, we're still going to have to face each other in the morning." Sam stop struggling against him.

"You love me?" Sam asked quietly.

"Yes," Daniel answered simply, releasing his grasp on her wrists.

"Why did you never say anything?"

"It was never the right time," he rolled off of Sam to lay on his back next to her. "Not that now was a good time, either." Sam rolled onto her side and propped her head up on her hand.

"I tried to tell you when you were dying."

"What?" he asked, squinting around his glasses. Sam's face was so close he was having a hard time focusing through the lenses.

"After the mission to Kelowna, when you were in the infirmary. We all came to say our farewells. I tried to tell you how I really feel, but even then I couldn't." She placed a hand gently on his chest as if by feeling his steady, if still rapid, heartbeat she could convince herself he was really here. "Everyone I let myself care about dies."

"Ah, Sam," he wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her to her chest. "Every one I've ever been involved with ends up getting possessed as a host."

"I've already been a host," she mumbled teasingly.

"And I've already died. I guess we're made for each other."

Sam slapped him playfully, "You need to stop doing that."

"I promise to try."

Sam stared at the ceiling for a long moment lost in contemplation. Finally, as if coming to a momentous decision she leaned over and kissed him tenderly. "I love you, Daniel." She said with a sigh. "Now what do we do."

"The first thing we do is have you put some pajamas on. Having you here half naked in bed with me right after you have told me you love me will tax even my willpower, Sam." She giggled and slid from the bed. She paused in the door way to the bathroom, "Will you still be here when I get back?"

"I'll still be here."

When Sam returned from the bathroom, dressed in her nightshirt, Daniel wasn't sure it was that much of an improvement over her semi-undressed state before. Sam wasn't alone that night, for Daniel did indeed spend it with her. The two had curled up together on her bed and talked until the first few rays of morning had shown through the window. They had discussed the depth and breadth of their feelings at length. Both had eventually agreed, however, that instead of jumping feet first into a relationship, it would be best to wait and see if after all the emotional turmoil of the last few weeks settled down, those feelings were still there. Sam had requested a posting at Area 51, and Daniel, requested reassignment to Atlantis for a six month tour. The two agreed that if after six months apart the feelings were still there they would formalize their relationship and see where it led. Sam hadn't been thrilled at the prospect of Daniel heading to literally another galaxy. However, when he pointed out, that he would always wonder 'what if' if he didn't get a chance to see it and that now was the perfect time to get the wanderlust out of his system, she agreed with him.

Needless to say, Daniel never made it to the Pegasus galaxy, and after a lot less than six months they were back together again. Judging by their short conversation in the corridor, his feelings hadn't changed, and Sam was certain that hers had not. She was caught in her memories, wondering what to do next, when an insistent voice calling her name penetrated into her reveries.

"Sam? Are you listening to me?" Vala asked peevishly.

"I'm sorry, I was thinking about something else." Sam looked down at her hands and remembered she was supposed to be styling Vala's hair during their impromptu slumber party.

"You had such a besotted smile on your face, you must share,"

"If you must know, I was thinking about the night I spent in Daniel's arms."

Vala's eyes narrowed as she studied the blond opposite her. "I thought you said Daniel wasn't into casual relationships.

"Oh, trust me, Vala," Sam said with a wicked glint in her eye. "There is nothing casual about this one." Sam drew a gold chain out from her shirt and showed Vala what was suspended there.

Author's note: I know it has been a while since I've updated my stories, but I'm trying to get back in the groove. Reviews are always appreciated, so I know that people are reading. :)


	7. Chapter 7

"I don't get it," Vala said in confusion as she stared at the pendant on Sam's necklace. "It's just a rock." "Now don't get me wrong, its a very pretty rock. But, it's still a rock." Vala peered closer at it, running an assessing eye over it.

Sam turned over the deep azure stone in her hand rubbing it for a moment between her fingers. "It's a scarab," Sam held it out in the palm of her hand so that Vala could see the stone better.

"Oh, now I recognize it. It's a bit crude though." Vala said dismissively.

"That's because it's over 3,500 years old."

"I see. . .So how does this explain your relationship with Daniel."

The year was 1969, and SG-1 was camping in the Pine Barrens with a pair of Hippies. The next day they would be traveling to New York City to meet with Catherine Langford and see if they could get her to reveal the current location of the Stargate. When they had been discussing their plans, Jenny and Michael had overheard them and they had been forced to invent a cover story. Jack and Teal'c had headed back to the van with the couple to tell them more about their home world and their problems with the establishment there. Daniel and Sam were left behind to discuss their plan for their meeting.

"What's that?" Sam asked as she settled down on the log next to Daniel.

"My good luck charm." He unwound the gold chain of a necklace from where he had been winding it around his fingers. He held it out to Sam. She held it carefully in her hand.

"It's beautiful. Lapis Lazuli?" Daniel nodded his head to confirm her observation.

"It's a scarab amulet. Probably dates from the Middle Kingdom."

"These were considered lucky by the Egyptians?"

"This particular variety was. There are other larger ones, generally green, that were interred with mummies."

"When did you find it?"

Daniel raised an eyebrow and half smiled at her, "Right about now actually."

Sam wrinkled her forehead and stared at him questioningly.

"I found it on a dig when I was about four years old. My first big find. My mother strung it on a necklace for me to wear. She said that finding a lucky charm as my first artifact was a good omen." Sam passed the amulet back to Daniel. He stared at it for a long moment. "It's one of the few things I have left." Sam put her arm around his shoulder and hugged him. He placed one of his hands over hers and for a moment their eyes met. Without saying any words the two understood exactly what the other was thinking.

"Sam, I'm going to start thinking you're ignoring me on purpose."

"Oh," Sam had the good grace to blush slightly, "Sorry."

"If you don't want to tell me, you don't have too. I don't mean to pry," Vala said grandly, though it was obvious that she wanted to know indeed. "I understand quite clearly that I haven't been accepted by your Stargating Club."

"It's Daniel's lucky charm. He's had it for a very long time. I found it in my things when I arrived in Nevada." Right on top of her stuffed bear that very few people new she still slept with when at home. It had been wrapped inside a piece of paper with a hastily scribbled note:

'You said that I'm always there to look out for you. I won't be able to do that when I'm literally a galaxy away. Take this instead to keep you safe, and to keep me in your thoughts. I mean every word of it.'

Sam hadn't fully understood the last sentence of the note. It seemed such an odd thing to write on such a straight forward note. One day she had realized that their was an inscription on the back of the amulet. Daniel had told her that the amulet was his lucky charm. At first she assumed that it was a simple spell to gain the god's favor. Until curiosity had gotten the better of her and she had asked one of the linguists on site to translate it.

"Oh?" Vala prompted, still trying to figure out what on Earth Sam was talking about.

"Daniel probably slipped it into my suitcase when he was helping Cassie and I load the car."

"Why would he do such a thing?"

"He knew that I wouldn't take it."

"So you had a night of passion, and then he knew you wouldn't accept jewelry from him. I can understand that. Might be perceived as payment." Vala paused for a moment. "Was it?" she asked wickedly.

Sam just stared at Vala wide eyed. "Oh, what," Vala flounced off of the bed and went to glance at herself in the mirror. "I used to be the goddess of lust, mind you," she experimented with a smoldering glance, " Sexual pleasure. Some times it just needs to happen."

"And some times it doesn't." Sam said with implicit meaning.

"Oh, I see," Vala drawled in a voice that said exactly the opposite.

"I don't even know why I'm telling you any of this." Sam pulled back the cover of her bunk and settled in.

"Because I'm a stranger, darling," Vala said more to the mirror than Sam. "And sometimes you just need someone to talk to."

"It's just complicated," Sam finally let out in a huge sigh.

"Life shouldn't be complicated. Just focus on what you want and go for it. That's what I do."

"What if you don't know what you want."

"I've never had that problem. I always know what I want." Vala popped her sleeping mask over her eyes, "And right now that's my beauty rest."

"Night, Sam," Vala hung over the side of the bed so she could peer into the bunk below. Her hair hung down until it was almost brushing the floor. "Sometimes you just have to stop thinking about all the things that could go wrong, and instead, focus on what will go right. Sweet dreams."

Sam and Vala didn't have the opportunity to return to the conversation of the evening before. As soon as they awoke, they were wrapped up in the details of their mission. When it was over the Ori beachhead had been destroyed, but at the loss of Vala MalDoran. There was a possibility that she had somehow survived, transported to the Ori galaxy. Of course there was no way of them knowing for sure. The team had joined Daniel in the infirmary to share the news. The male members present seemed amused by the idea that Vala might be their message to the Ori.

The group had made small talk for a little while until Mitchell's stomach growled loudly. Sam had volunteered to take 'first watch' so that Mitchell and Teal'c could get something to eat. Mitchell had raised an eyebrow at the comment, but made his farewells. AS he turned to leave the infirmary he turned to Teal'c and asked, "First watch?"

"It is tradition, ColonelMitchell." The rest of Teal'c's explanation was lost as the pair exited into the hallway.

"I suppose it is a bit of a tradition," Sam said siting down on the edge of Daniel's infirmary bed, resting her hand in an overly casual fashion barely an inch from Daniel's.

"My ending up in the infirmary, or you taking turns watching over me." Daniel slid his hand over so it covered hers.

"Both I guess." There was a long pause. "I'm glad you're okay," she said quietly, gently touching his cheek with her free hand. Daniel entwined his fingers in hers with the hand he held. She raised her voice back to a normal speaking tone for benefit of the infirmary staff that was watching them curiously. Many of the Prometheus' crew was new and having the former SG-1 on board was a bit exciting for them. Sam had realized during her first few days at Area 51 that she and her former teammates were regarded as living legends by some. "I heard you were taking far more than your share of turns in the infirmary."

"Ah, I was trying to get away from Mitchell. He keeps trying to get me to rejoin SG-1."

Sam laughed, "Yeah, he was trying to do the same thing with me on the way here. He is persistent."

"That he is."

"You missed the Daedalus." Sam observed, conscious of the audience. "Are you considering rejoining SG-1?" she asked casually.

"I would need a very good reason," Daniel searched her face intently willing her to understand the underlying meaning of his words.

"Well, Cassie is returning to university in Colorado this semester. . ." Sam trailed off in a meaningful fashion returning his gaze steadily..

"And it would be better for Cassie if you were able to be there for her still," Daniel said slowly. "Nevada is a long way away." 'and I missed you' was the unspoken tag to that statement.

"I suppose I could talk to General O'Neill about reassignment. With the Ori threat, I think I might be better off serving on a field team again." Sam answered slowly

"With my knowledge of the Ancients and now the Ori, I might say the same." The two eyed each other, understanding fully the hidden subtext of their conversation. The CMO stopped by to check Daniel's vitals, making a few notes on her chart. With a smile she waved to one of the orderlies to bring over a chair, indicating that Sam might be more comfortable there than perched on the edge of the bed. With a final admonishment not to tire Daniel out she strolled into her office, dimming the lights as she exited.

"I guess that is her way of saying I should be sleeping."

"I'll go if you want," Sam started to stand up. Daniel grasped her wrist firmly.

"Stay," he said simply. Not a request, but not a command, either. He reached up his other hand to caress the nape of her neck. "I see my gift met with your approval?" he said softly as he fingered the gold chain that was hanging around her neck beside the thicker metal chain of her dog tags.

"You really shouldn't have."

"I know. I wanted to."

"Did you really mean it?"

"Every word, Sam."

"Though the path may twist and go astray, no choice have I but to follow it to where it leads." Sam said quietly. "My hope is that my friend, my heart, will share it with me." Daniel finished for her.

"I can't make any promises, Sam. We both have more than our quota of emotional baggage. But I'm willing to make the journey, and see where it leads."

Sam leaned towards Daniel in order to hug him, which was awkward since he was still lying in the hospital bed. With a grin he pulled her down to him, wrapping his arms around her, so they were awkwardly entwined together. Neither seemed to concerned about the preposterous position they were in. "So now what do we do?" Sam asked.

"I guess we see what happens."


End file.
